3 ms·
You've mentioned gdp, consumption and house size. None of those directly translate to quality of life, although I agree they are strongly correlated. The avera
by benj111 8y ago
You've mentioned gdp, consumption and house size. None of those directly translate to quality of life, although I agree they are strongly correlated.
The average European living in a city may not have a car, that is not the same as the average American who lives in a city and doesn't own a car. European cities are have a lot better public transportation, so you don't need a car.
In my experience houses in the city tend to be smaller than houses in the country. But the city is where the wealth is created, so it doesn't seem to me that larger houses should be an indicator of wealth in and of itself. I'm undecided whether living in the city with a smaller house but higher income would lead to a higher quality of life versus living in a bigger house in the country, but with a lower income. I suspect its probably down to personal preference.
- ryanwaggoner 8y agoI love Europe for the reasons you mentioned, but it's a different culture. Most Americans have no interest in living a European-style life and would see it as a huge decrease in their quality of life, especially if it were forced on them. Which means it's effectively impossible to do, because as soon as you try, they'll vote you out of office. Short of suspending elections, I don't see how democracies make the level of changes needed until we're actually suffering badly from climate change. But historically it doesn't seem like the types of people who become tyrants do so because it's the only path available to save the society from itself.